Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 19 October (HL8705), how many schemes have been set up for training Green Homes Grant skills; where in the UK such schemes are located; what the capacity to deliver such training is in each region of the UK; what academic level the training is; and how many students have (1) enrolled in, and (2) completed, the training.

Lord Callanan: The Department launched a £6.9m skills competition to provide training opportunities for energy efficiency and low carbon heating supply chains, to deliver works and scale up to meet additional consumer demand. This could deliver up to 5,000 training opportunities in support of the scheme, dependent on how the funding is allocated. The competition recently closed, and the bids are being assessed. The Department received bids from all regions in England (Midlands, North East, Yorkshire & Humber, North West, South East, South West) and for all work packages. Training will commence once successful applicants have been informed. Funding will be provided to support training individuals with existing skills and those new to the sector, along with support for installation companies to gain PAS 2030 or MCS accreditation as required by the Green Homes Grant scheme. Training courses will be carried out against the following specific technology standards – National Occupational Standards (NOS), PAS 2030: 2017, 2019 or MCS standards or higher. The work packages within the competition cover retrofit assessor and retrofit coordinator, insulation, non-insulation fabric measures, heat pumps & solar thermal; heating and hot water controls.

Boilers: Waste Heat Recovery

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 3 August (HL7278), why passive flue gas heat recovery systems with thermal storage are not mandated for (1) all replacement boilers in the UK, and (2) installation in all new buildings; and whether those systems deliver an average five per cent efficiency improvement and significant carbon savings.

Lord Callanan: Building Regulations set minimum energy performance standards for heating systems in new homes and when they are replaced or fitted into existing homes. Under these regulations, when a gas combination boiler is installed in an existing dwelling, an additional energy efficiency measure must also be installed, with passive flue gas heat recovery systems being one of four options. The English housing stock is diverse, so the requirement is flexible to allow a suitable choice to be made that reflects the nature of the building, and the needs of the individual household. When these regulations were introduced, many system and most regular boilers on the market were considered incompatible with passive flue gas heat recovery systems and compensation controls, or required an additional component, and therefore were exempt from the additional energy efficiency measures. For new builds, buildings regulations around energy efficiency and space and water heating are deliberately couched in performance terms and do not prescribe the technologies, or fuels to be used, allowing manufacturers and builders the flexibility to innovate and select the most practical and cost-effective solutions in particular circumstances. The extent to which a passive flue gas heat recovery system can increase the efficiency of a dwelling and reduce natural gas consumption is dependent on many factors. Analysis undertaken on behalf of BEIS showed that the typical household could increase boiler efficiency between 1% to 5% by adding a passive flue gas heat recovery system.

UK Intellectual Property Office

Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to lay a Statutory Instrument to ensure that lawyers from the European Economic Area cannot appear before the UK Intellectual Property Office from 1 January 2021.

Lord Callanan: We are working with colleagues across government to have a suitable solution in place before 31 December, including any necessary amendment to the address for service rules.

Hunterston B Power Station: Closures

Baroness Clark of Kilwinning: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, and with whom, about the economic impact of the permanent closure of Hunterston B nuclear power station; and what stepsthey intend to take to ensure an economic investment package is put in place in view of job losses and the wider economic impact of that closure.

Lord Callanan: EDF Energy recently announced that Hunterston B would close no later than January 2022. EDF Energy, as owner and operator of the power station, is responsible for the management of the closure, in consultation with the nuclear regulator, including any related employment matters arising from closure and during the subsequent station decommissioning. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is working with EDF Energy and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to consider how efficient and cost-effective decommissioning of EDF Energy-owned nuclear power stations can be planned for and delivered in the future. This work does not affect the closure of the stations.

Northern Ireland Office

Belfast Agreement: USA

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, or plan to have, with President-elect Biden about the Belfast Agreement.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: This Government looks forward to engaging and working closely with the new President-elect. The Prime Minister spoke to Mr Biden and assured him that the UK Government would continue to uphold the Belfast Agreement in all circumstances. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is also engaging with US politicians and congressmen of all parties.

Consumer Goods: Northern Ireland

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent comments by (1) Marks and Spencer’s, and (2) Sainsbury’s, about the impact of the UK’s departure from the EU on the supply and cost of goods in Northern Ireland.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The UK and the EU have committed to an intensified process of engagement to resolve all outstanding issues with the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which includes securing the flexibilities we need for trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. This is particularly important for supermarkets, where we have been clear specific solutions are required. We will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive as discussions continue with the EU through the Joint Committee process.

Department for Education

Schools: Air Pollution

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherschools are encouraged to develop individual clean air plans; and if so, how they incentivise the development of such plans.

Baroness Berridge: Local authorities are responsible for air quality in their area and must ensure that it meets the standards set in local air quality action plans. Concerns regarding the air quality in school buildings fall to the body responsible for the school to check and establish what measures need to be taken to improve air quality.In 2018, the department published Building Bulletin 101 (BB101), which contains guidance for school design on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality. This guidance sets out the World Health Organisation’s air quality guidelines and Air Quality Standards Regulation 2010 for indoor air quality. BB101 requires the indoor environment of new or refurbished school buildings to be monitored by recording temperature and levels of carbon dioxide.The department is collaborating with other government departments and a number of academic institutions on air quality projects. The findings from these projects will, in due course, inform our guidance and standards for school buildings.

Private Education

Lord Soley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy regarding the registration of independent schools in instances where Ofsted has expressed concern regarding that registration.

Baroness Berridge: Any educational provider which offers a full-time education to 5 or more pupils of compulsory school age, or to 1 or more pupils of compulsory school age who are also looked after, or have an education, health and care plan, is required to register with the Department for Education. It is a criminal offence to conduct an independent school that is not registered. If convicted of this offence, a person could be subject to an unlimited fine, and/or imprisonment for up to 6 months.Section 99 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 outlines that Ofsted must inspect all proposed new independent schools against the Independent Schools Standards, and make a report to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, on the extent to which these standards are likely to be met following registration. The Secretary of State for Education must then decide, taking that report and any other evidence he has on the proposed school into account, whether the standards are likely to be met if it is to be registered as an independent school. If he is satisfied that the standards are likely to be met, he must register the school.In practice, it is nearly always the case that where an inspection report shows that the standards are not likely to be met, the registration application is rejected. However, there are rare exceptions: for example, if remedial building work has been arranged, but has not yet been undertaken at the time of the inspection. In such cases, if the school is subsequently able to show that the work has been carried out successfully, so as to address all of the issues identified in the report, it is possible to register the school without the need for a further inspection.Full guidance on registering an independent school is available through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-school-registration.

Skilled Workers: Training

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by City & Guilds Group Act Now, published on 2 November; and what steps they are taking to allow more autonomy regarding skills funding for mayoral combined authorities.

Baroness Berridge: Currently, approximately 50% of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) is devolved to 7 Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and the Mayor of London, acting where appropriate through the Greater London Authority (GLA). These authorities are now responsible for the provision of AEB-funded adult education for their residents and the allocation of the AEB to training providers. MCAs and the GLA are responsible for considering any flexibilities to their funding rules in their respective areas.Devolving the AEB enables MCAs/GLA to directly support adults in developing the skills that local employers need, reducing skills shortages, boosting productivity and economic prosperity, and improving wellbeing in communities.We are committed to open dialogue with MCAs, the GLA and other sector stakeholders on how best skills provision and reforms can be shaped to fit the needs of local areas. However, there are no plans for further skills funding devolution at this present time.

Schools: Coronavirus

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the COVID-19 transmission rate in schools; and what steps are they taking to protect teachers from COVID-19 infection.

Baroness Berridge: The department collects data from schools on a daily basis, as well as gathering information from local areas and following up with individual settings in relation to COVID-19. This includes confirming that procedures for requiring pupils to isolate are well understood and that necessary decisions are being made based on public health advice. Data is collected on the number of schools that have indicated they have sent children home due to COVID-19 containment measures and the department has attendance data for schools that have done so.The department regularly reviews advice from a number of different sources, including the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies outputs and Public Health England (PHE), as well as school attendance data to ensure its policies are guided by the most up to date scientific evidence.We published ‘actions for schools during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak’ guidance to support schools to welcome back all children from the start of the autumn term. Schools should continue to undertake risk assessments and implement the system of controls set out in this guidance. The measures set out in the department’s guidance to minimise the risk of transmission in schools has been endorsed by PHE.The full guidance can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.From 5 November 2020, following guidance on new national restrictions in school settings, staff who are clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to work from home and not to go into work. Individuals in this group will have been identified through a letter from the NHS or from their GP, and may have been advised to shield in the past. Staff should talk to their employers about how they will be supported, including to work from home where possible, during the period of national restrictions.The full guidance can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-and-childcare-settings-new-national-restrictions-from-5-november-2020#schools.All other staff should continue to attend work, including those living in a household with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable.Staff and children who are clinically vulnerable or have underlying health conditions but are not clinically extremely vulnerable, may continue to attend school in line with current guidance.

Pre-school Education: Coronavirus

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the survey by the Early Years Alliance, published on 30 October, finding that one in six early years providers could close by Christmas 2020 without additional funding; and what steps they are taking to provide additional income to nurseries and childminders.

Baroness Berridge: The government recognises the importance of supporting the early years sector financially during the COVID-19 outbreak.We note the information provided by the Early Years Alliance and have used it in recent discussions with HM Treasury.Data published on 26 October, in the latest parent survey by Ipsos MORI, shows that in September 94% of parents whose child received formal childcare, before the COVID-19 outbreak, were either using formal childcare now, or were intending to return their child to formal childcare, if they could, by January 2021.Attendance data on early years shows that children’s attendance at the majority of nurseries, preschools and childminders is starting to climb back to pre-COVID-19 levels (an estimated 770,000 children attended early years settings on 22 October, compared with 417,000 at the end of the summer term).Nurseries, preschools and childminders have received significant financial support over the past months and will benefit from a planned £3.6 billion funding package in financial year 2020-21 for free early education and childcare places.We are providing extra stability and reassurance to settings that are open by ‘block-buying’ childcare places for the rest of this year at the level we would have funded before the COVID-19 outbreak, regardless of how many children are attending. This will give nurseries and childminders another term of secure income.In addition to this, the government has provided a package of support for individuals and businesses which are directly benefitting providers of childcare. This includes business rates relief and grants, the extended Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, the Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Job Retention Bonus and the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which will remain open until December, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500.Further, business premises forced to close in England are to receive grants worth up to £3,000 per month under the Local Restrictions Support Grant. Also, £1.1 billion is being given to local authorities, distributed on the basis of £20 per head, for one-off payments to enable them to support businesses more broadly.We continue to work closely with both local authorities and the early years sector organisations to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the sector.

Schools: Gender Recognition

Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish new transgender guidance for schools; and when such guidance will be available.

Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government which Government department is responsible for the policy contained in guidance and reports on transgender education in schools.

Baroness Berridge: The department continues to work closely with the Government Equalities Office to understand developments in this area, including non-departmental guidance and reports, and consider how government can best support the school sector.We recognise that these are complex and sensitive matters to navigate, and schools are best placed to work with parents, pupils and public services to decide what is best for individual children – and what is best for all others in the school.To note, the department has published guidance to help schools understand how to fulfil their duties under the Equality Act 2010. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools.In relation to teaching, the department has recently published implementation guidance for Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). This sets out that all resources used in teaching about gender and biological sex should be age-appropriate and evidence based. Teachers should not reinforce harmful stereotypes, for instance by suggesting that children might be a different gender based on their personality and interests, or the clothes they prefer to wear – they should of course always seek to treat individual students with empathy and support.

Ministry of Justice

Trials: Administrative Delays

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average waiting time for cases to come to trial in England; and what action they are taking to speed up the process.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Data relating to the waiting time in weeks for cases at the Crown Court in England and Wales can be found in Tables C6 (by case type), C7 (by plea) and C8 (by remand status) of the published National Statistics series ‘Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly’ (latest to June 2020) https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-court-statistics Waiting times for England alone require a further breakdown from the published data and are provided in the table attached with this response. On Monday 7 September, the Crime Recovery Plan was published which sets out our comprehensive plan to tackle the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the justice system by boosting capacity across criminal courts. As one of the first among other comparable jurisdictions globally to resume jury trials, our Crown Courts are currently listing over 200 jury trials and conducting thousands of other hearings every week. The magistrates’ courts have been completing more cases than they receive, dealing with over 21,000 cases each week and tackling the backlog.We have also installed plexiglass screens into over 200 courtrooms and over 100 jury retiring rooms enabling us to safely open 255 Crown Court rooms for jury trials, roughly the number that were hearing jury trials before Covid. We’re also investing record amounts - the biggest single investment in court estate maintenance for more than 20 years – and have unlocked vital capacity by opening 16 Nightingale Courts to provide 29 additional court rooms.HL9935 - table (xlsx, 133.5KB)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Poland: Abortion

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Poland's compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to its position on the termination of pregnancies; and what representations they have made to the government of Poland on this matter.

Baroness Sugg: The UK is a leading voice on gender issues, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, in multilateral fora such as the Council of Europe and the United Nations. There are three outstanding cases in the Council of Europe concerning abortion in Poland; the European Court of Human Rights has judged Poland incompliant with numerous articles of the European Convention on Human Rights: P. and S. v. Poland (2012), R.R v Poland (2011) and Tysiac v Poland (2007). These cases relate to difficulties in accessing an entitlement to lawful abortion in Poland in accordance with the European Convention of Human Rights. Whilst we have not raised these specific cases directly with the Polish government, we continue, within the Council of Europe, to urge the Polish authorities to comply with the Convention, in line with the judgments handed down by the Court, for example by guaranteeing clear and effective procedures to provide women seeking lawful abortion with adequate information on the steps they need to take to obtain it. The three cases will be reviewed again in the Council of Europe in March 2021.We are closely monitoring developments following a ruling on 22 October by the Polish Constitutional Tribunal that laws permitting abortion in certain cases are unconstitutional, and the large-scale protests across Poland that this has prompted. It is for each country to establish its own laws on abortion. However, the UK firmly believes that supporting the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls, through evidence-based public health interventions, saves lives. Evidence shows that restricting access to safe abortion does not make abortions less common: it only makes them less safe. The British Embassy in Warsaw is also active on the gender equality agenda and in September ran a workshop for British and Polish NGOs active on women's rights.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that demolition orders have been delivered to Palestinian-owned houses in the Issawiya neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that structures in the Humsa al Bqai’a Bedouin community have been demolished by the government of Israel; and what support they plan to provide to those affected.

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe statement by Fuad al-‘Amour, the coordinator of Protection and Steadfastness Committees in Masafer Yatta and Southern Hebron hills, on 3 November, about the actions of the Israel Defence Force and the impact on communities living inMasafer Yatta.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are seriously concerned by increasing rates of demolition of Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised our concern about demolitions with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 29 October, and issued a statement outlining the UK's concern about the demolitions of structures in Humsa Al-Baqai'a on 6 November. Officials from the British Consulate General Jerusalem visited Humsa Al-Baqai'a on 6 November to reiterate UK support for the community. The UK provides funding to the West Bank Protection Consortium, which is coordinating with the Palestinian Red Cross and the United Nations to provide emergency shelter to the community of Humsa Al-Baqai'a, and determine the community's long-term needs. The UK is focused on preventing demolitions and evictions from happening in the first place through our legal aid programme, which supports Bedouin communities and Palestinians facing demolition or home eviction in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to develop improved mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in Area C for the benefit of the Palestinian population, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such processes.

Palestinians: Olives

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the planting of olive trees in Atuwani to ensure land near that village is not classified as state land by the government of Israel.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are seriously concerned by the continued expropriation of land by Israel in the West Bank, including notably for settlement expansion. We regularly call on Israel to halt such counterproductive activity and instead urgently commit to creating a better environment for a just and lasting peace. Settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the physical viability of the two-state solution. We continue to call on Israel to improve Palestinians' route to securing building permissions for homes and infrastructure, including agriculture and farming, in Area C.

Palestinians: Olives

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 3 November (HL9384) and the statement that they "welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence", which such efforts they welcome; and how they measure the success of such efforts.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We welcome the Government of Israel's strong condemnation of settler violence, as well as the establishment of a special governmental unit and legislative changes. Nonetheless, we continue to urge the Israeli authorities to thoroughly investigate every instance and to bring those responsible to justice and end the culture of impunity. We have stressed the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. Our long-standing objective is a negotiated two-state solution which will allow Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace, lessening the likelihood of politically driven violence and incitement to violence.

United Arab Emirates: Detainees

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the United Arab Emirates about thereleaseof 18 Yemenis and one Russian, who are currently detained and at risk of forced repatriation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK remains committed to the promotion of universal freedoms and human rights. The UK regularly raises human rights concerns with the UAE at senior levels and continues to encourage the UAE to uphold international human rights obligations.

Hussein Yousef

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that authorities at Jau Prison in Bahrain are preventing Yousef Hussein Yousef from receiving the medical treatment he requires; what assessment they have made of (1) the conditions in which he is held, and (2) reports that complaints about his case to oversight bodies including the Bahraini prisons ombudsman and National Institution for Human Rights in Bahrain have received no response; and what plans they have to make representations to the government of Bahrain about his access to medical treatment.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of reports regarding Yousef Hussein Yousef and are monitoring his case. We have raised this case with the oversight bodies and understand that three separate complaints, relating to medical and dietary issues, have been made in 2020 by relatives of Mr Yousef; and that all complaints were fully investigated and resolved. We welcomed these assurances from the oversight bodies and continue to encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate human rights oversight body.

Ethiopia: Refugees

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of refugees in the Ethiopia-Sudan border region, (2) the nationality of these refugees, and (3) the impact of the Tigray conflict on refugee numbers in that area.

Baroness Sugg: According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) there are almost 162,200 refugees in regions of Ethiopia adjoining Sudan from Eritrea, Sudan and South Sudan. Owing to telecommunications outages across Tigray region and limited access for humanitarian agencies due to insecurity we are not able to accurately determine the impact of the conflict on refugee numbers.We await confirmation from UNHCR about the movement of Ethiopians into Sudan but Sudanese media have reported that an estimated 6,000 asylum seekers from Ethiopia have crossed into Sudan in recent days. Prior to the fighting in Tigray, Sudan hosted approximately 13,000 Ethiopian refugees who reside in official camps as well as in towns and cities across the country.

Uganda: Refugees

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether South Sudanese refugees are returning to South Sudan from Ugandan camps; and what assistance they are providing to South Sudanese refugees still in Uganda.

Baroness Sugg: According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 8,347 refugees returned to South Sudan in September 2020. Of these, 3,023 individuals (36%) returned from refugee settlements in Uganda.There are currently more than 1.4 million refugees in Uganda; about 938,000 (more than 65%) of these are from South Sudan. The UK is one of the largest supporters of refugees in Uganda, providing life-saving protection and assistance. Under our current 5 year, £210 million programme, the UK helps to safely deliver food assistance to more than one million people; provide emergency nutritional and psycho-social support for children traumatised by conflict in their home countries; ensure livelihood opportunities to enable people to build their resilience and become self-reliant; and prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 among vulnerable refugee and host communities.

Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byBaroness Sugg on 2 November (HL Deb, cols 495–9), what assessment they have made of the judgment delivered by the International Court of Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro (no. 91)on 26 February 2007, in particularthe statement contained in that judgment that "aState’s obligation to prevent, and the corresponding duty to act, arise at the instant that the State learns of, or should normally have learned of, the existence of a serious risk that genocide will be committed"; what assessment they have made of the risk of genocide in the Nagorno-Karabakh region; and what steps they are taking in response to that assessment.

Baroness Sugg: The UK takes its moral and legal obligations seriously, and is fully committed to focusing on conflict prevention as the best means to prevent most mass atrocities. HMG adopts a consolidated, whole-of-government effort, using our diplomatic, development, defence and law enforcement capabilities, to help find pathways to global peace and stability. The policy of the UK is that any determination on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for competent judicial bodies, rather than for governments. The UK is fully committed to the principle that there must be no impunity for the most serious international crimes. The UK welcomes the news that the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to end the fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Scientific Review Group

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what relationship they plan to have with the EU's Scientific Review Group after 1 January 2021.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: As we have left the EU we will no longer participate in, or be bound by, EU structures, including the EU Scientific Review Group which comprises representatives from EU Member States’ Scientific Authorities. Our Scientific Authorities, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, will continue to provide scientific advice on a range of CITES matters and collaborate internationally with other CITES Scientific Authorities to ensure we remain a world leader in environmental protection.

Animals: Nature Conservation

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the power to prohibit the holding of specimens including live animals under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has been removed; if so, (1) why, and (2) what plans they have to reverse any such removal.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Environment and Wildlife (Miscellaneous Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 do not lessen government powers or weaken our implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The provision in Council Regulation 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein states that Member States ‘may prohibit the holding of specimens, in particular live animals of the species listed in Annex A’. Rather than conferring any legislative powers, this provision simply states that EU Member States have discretion to act should it be considered necessary. At the end of the Transition Period, the UK will continue to be able to act, meaning the inclusion of the provision in retained direct EU legislation would be an unnecessary statement of the government’s ability to put in place legislation. Its omission does not lessen existing powers or weaken our controls on endangered species.

Nature Conservation: Fines

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what happens to the fines levied under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; and what plans they have, if any, to use any money raised by such fines solely for the benefit of wildlife and endangered species.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: CITES offences and penalties are used as a deterrent to illegal wildlife trade which in turn protects wildlife and endangered species. The collection of fines resulting from convictions under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations (COTES) is undertaken by HM Courts & Tribunals Service. With the agreement of HM Treasury (HMT), as part of its Spending Round 2015 settlement the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has been permitted to retain receipts from all fine collections. These receipts form part of the overall settlement provided by HMT to MoJ to operate the Courts and Tribunals Service and are used for this purpose.

Sky Lanterns

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the damage caused by sky lanterns; and what plans they haveto impose a national ban on such lanternsin rural areas.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In 2013, the UK and Welsh Governments jointly commissioned an independent study looking at the impacts of sky lanterns and helium balloons on livestock and the environment. The report concluded that the impact was generally low, though did highlight a potential fire safety risk. Any action the Government takes must be proportionate to the level of risk and we have concluded, based on the results of this research, that an outright ban would be disproportionate in the circumstances. Should evidence that this approach is no longer sufficient arise, we will take the necessary action. We do recognise the need to protect our environment and wildlife and have therefore used media messaging to encourage people and businesses to consider the risks before releasing lanterns. There may be times when a local ban is appropriate as part of a wider strategic approach. and local authorities already have powers to restrict or ban the use of sky lanterns on council or public land. Many councils in England, Scotland and Wales have applied such a ban. We will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and materials to take a systematic approach to reducing the use of single-use products. Voluntary actions and initiatives aimed at minimising the risks associated with sky lanterns and driving up safety standards have been effective. This includes a voluntary Code of Practice for sky lanterns developed by industry with Government support to ensure that they are manufactured to be safe and are sold responsibly. Sky lanterns also fall in scope of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 which oblige producers and distributors to place only safe consumer products on the market. As the law stands in England, it is conceivable that a magistrates’ court would conclude that a release of sky lanterns constitutes a littering offence. Section 87 of the?Environmental Protection Act 1990 says: “A person is guilty of an offence if he throws down, drops or otherwise deposits any litter in any place to which this section applies and leaves it”. Ultimately it would be for a court to rule whether this phrase would cover sky lantern releases.

Home Office

British Nationality: British Overseas Territories

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 13 August (HL7533), whether Hong Kong citizens who do not hold British National (Overseas) status are able to apply to enter the UK under the British National (Overseas) visa scheme rules; and if so, what the process is for doing so.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The bespoke new Hong Kong British National (Overseas) Visa route recognises our historic and moral commitment to British National (Overseas) citizens in Hong Kong, giving them the option to live in the UK if they decide that is an appropriate choice for them. Hong Kong citizens who do not hold BN(O) status or are not the close family member of a BN(O) will not be eligible to apply for the Hong Kong BN(O) Visa route.Consistent with the wider Immigration Rules, individuals in Hong Kong will be able to apply under the new Points-Based System to come to live, work or study in the UK, provided they meet the necessary requirements. Those wishing to come to the UK under the new Points-Based-System will need to apply for a visa in advance of travel.The existing youth mobility scheme is also open to people in Hong Kong aged between 18-30, with 1000 places currently available each year.

Work Permits

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the previous arrangements for a cap on the annual number of work permits (1) have been deleted in the revised Immigration Rules, published on 22 October, and (2) are stated as having been suspended in the explanatory notes, published on 22 October; what are the steps which need to be taken (a) to re-impose, and (b) to bring into force, such a cap; and what estimate they have made of the time it would take to take such steps.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Points-Based Immigration System will allow the Government to take back full control of our borders. We will suspend the cap on the number of skilled workers able to apply to come to the UK, as recommended by the Migration Advisory Committee. Other controls such as sponsorship by a licenced employer, a system of salary thresholds and a requirement for employers to pay the Immigration Skills Charge, will ensure immigration is managed and considered alongside investment in and protection of the UK’s resident labour market.The Skilled Worker route will be kept under review and we will retain the right to introduce further controls if necessary, based on experience and evidence.

Police: West Midlands

Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 October (HL9280), how many police officers there are per head of the population in each Police Force Area in the West Midlands.

Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 October (HL9280), how many police officers there are per head of the population in each Police Force Area in the East Midlands.

Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 October (HL9280), how many police officers there are per head of the population in each Police Force Area in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 October (HL9280), how many police officers there are per head of the population in each Police Force Area in North West England.

Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 October (HL9280), how many police officers there are per head of the population in each Police Force Area in North East England.

Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 October (HL9280), how many police officers there are per head of the population in each Police Force Area in Greater London.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: [Answer] The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size and composition of the police workforce in England and Wales on a biannual basis in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin. From Table H4 in the data tables published alongside this bulletin, the tables below show the total number of police officers and the number of police officers per 100,000 population in each force of the relevant regions requested as at 31 March 2020. West Midlands as at 31 March 20201 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationStaffordshire1,666147Warwickshire1,035179West Mercia2,219172West Midlands6,516223West Midlands 11,436  193 Figures provided are on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basisEast Midlands as at 31 March 20201 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationDerbyshire1,849174Leicestershire1,979180Lincolnshire1,067140Northamptonshire1,272169Nottinghamshire2,072178East Midlands 8,239  170 Figures provided are on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basisYorkshire and the Humber as at 31 March 20201 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationHumberside1,966211North Yorkshire1,481179South Yorkshire2,437173West Yorkshire5,342229Yorkshire and the Humber 11,226  204 Figures provided are on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basisNorth West region as at 31 March 20201 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationCheshire2,088196Cumbria1,221244Greater Manchester6,866242Lancashire2,999199Merseyside3,629254North West 16,803  229 Figures provided are on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basisNorth East region as at 31 March 20201 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationCleveland1,325233Durham1,141179Northumbria3,155216North East 5,621  211 Figures provided are on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basisGreater London as at 31 March 20201,3 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationLondon, City of759..Metropolitan Police32,199360Greater London 32,958  368 Figures provided are on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis3. City of London per capita analysis is omitted due to its disproportionately small permanent population.More recent figures are available, but on a headcount basis that is not comparable with previous publications reporting on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis. The tables below provide the total number of officers and total officers per 100,000 population on a headcount basis as at 30 September 2020.West Midlands as at 30 September 20202 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationStaffordshire1,703150Warwickshire1,041180West Mercia2,279176West Midlands6,983238West Midlands 12,006  202 Figures provided are on a headcount basisEast Midlands as at 30 September 20202 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationDerbyshire1,899179Leicestershire2,114192Lincolnshire1,089143Northamptonshire1,368182Nottinghamshire2,121183East Midlands 8,591  178 Figures provided are on a headcount basisYorkshire and the Humber as at 30 September 20202 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationHumberside2,028217North Yorkshire1,533185South Yorkshire2,624186West Yorkshire5,494236Yorkshire and the Humber 11,679  212 Figures provided are on a headcount basisNorth West region as at 30 September 20202 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationCheshire2,164203Cumbria1,251250Greater Manchester7,018247Lancashire3,088205Merseyside3,698259North West 17,219  235 Figures provided are on a headcount basisNorth East region as at 30 September 20202 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationCleveland1,392245Durham1,180185Northumbria3,344228North East 5,916  222 Figures provided are on a headcount basisGreater London as at 30 September 20202,3 Total OfficersOfficers per 100,000 populationLondon, City of822..Metropolitan Police33,782377Greater London 34,604  386 Figures provided are on a headcount basis3. City of London per capita analysis is omitted due to its disproportionately small permanent population.These figures are calculated using data from the Home Office’s new quarterly Police Uplift publication, reporting the progress of the Police Uplift Programme that is delivering on the current Government’s manifesto pledge to recruit 20,000 additional police officers in England and Wales by March 2023. The latest Uplift publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-officer-uplift-quarterly-update-to-september-2020

Cabinet Office

Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK

Baroness Sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings (1) the Prime Minister, (2) the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (3) the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and (4) the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions,have had with the COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group.

Lord True: Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.Ministers are acutely aware of the grief, heartbreak and loss suffered by families across the country as a result of the virus, and the Government has fully committed to looking back and reflecting on all aspects of the pandemic.There will be an opportunity to learn lessons from all aspects of the pandemic in the fullness of time, but for now, the Government remains focused on reducing the spread of the virus, and to protect those most vulnerable in society.Ministers have met and continue to meet with those who have been bereaved as a result of Covid-19. And with respect to this particular group, Ministers from Her Majesty’s Government will be happy to meet them at an appropriate time to do so, and once legal proceedings have concluded.

Treasury

Cash Dispensing

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the future of cash machine networks in the UK.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government recognises that cash remains important to millions of people across the UK, which is why it has committed to legislate to protect access to cash and to ensure that the UK’s cash infrastructure is sustainable in the long term. To inform the development of this legislation, the Government published a Call for Evidence on 15 October seeking views on the key considerations associated with cash access, including deposit and withdrawal facilities, cash acceptance, and regulatory oversight of the cash system. Alongside the development of legislation, LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s largest ATM network, has existing arrangements in place to protect free-to-use ATMs that do not have another free-to-use ATM or Post Office within 1 kilometre. LINK’s members have also made £5 million available to fund ATMs at the request of communities with poor access to cash. The Government established the Payment Systems Regulator, which has powers to regulate LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s largest ATM network. The Payment Systems Regulator is holding LINK to account over their commitments to protect the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Sustainability of the Press Review

Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made onthe implementation of each recommendation of The Cairncross Review: A Sustainable Future For Journalism, published on 12 February 2019.

Baroness Barran: In January 2020, the government published its formal response to the independent Cairncross Review, which outlines steps the government, regulators and industry will take to support the future of the news publishing industry.In terms of the fiscal interventions proposed by the Review, the government has introduced the zero-rating of VAT on e-publications and has committed to extending the existing business rates relief for an additional 5 years, until 31 March 2025. We also worked with Nesta to develop a £2million pilot innovation fund, launched in October 2019, and have committed to considering further fiscal measures to support the sector.The recommended market study into the workings of the online advertising market has now concluded. The CMA’s final report recommended a similar approach to the Cairncross Review in proposing codes of conduct to govern the relationship between platforms and publishers. We are considering the CMA’s findings carefully before determining next steps, and will publish our response shortly.The Review also recommended that Ofcom explore the market impact of BBC News. Government welcomed Ofcom’s decision to conduct a review into the BBC’s news output, which was published in October 2019.With regard to the Review’s recommendations on taking steps to help users identify the reliability and trustworthiness of news sources, online platforms’ efforts here may continue and expand as a result of the proposals in the Online Harms White Paper. We intend to publish the Full Government Response to the White Paper as soon as possible. We are also developing a Media Literacy Strategy, which will be published in Spring 2021.The government is pleased to see the BBC has conducted a thorough review of the Local Democracy Reporting Service and the wider Local News Partnership, as recommended by the Cairncross Review. As set out in our response, we would support any efforts by the BBC to grow the scheme.The government will not be taking forward the recommendation to establish an institute for Public Interest News. While we acknowledge the value the proposed institute is intended to provide, it is not for the government to lead on this issue.The government recognises the vital role of newspapers in supporting communities and in ensuring the provision of reliable, high-quality information at this time. In addition to the above measures, it has therefore also been an absolute priority to ensure we do all we can as a government to support news publishers during the Covid-19 crisis.

Churches: Repairs and Maintenance

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the rate of closure of churches in recent years; what assessment has been made of the ability of worshipping communities to fund ongoing repairs to church buildings; and what plans they have to provide support to worshipping communities to help maintain church buildings.

Baroness Barran: Historic England works closely with faith communities on the management of historic places of worship.When a place of worship is no longer required for regular worship it can still make a valuable contribution to the wider community; Historic England works with faith communities to develop a sustainable future when they are not used actively for worship, retaining as much of their special historical and architectural significance as possible. Only in a small minority of cases do places of worship have to close. Historic England also offers bespoke advice to those who manage places of worship on how to address repairs.In 2016, the Taylor Review: Sustainability of English Churches and Cathedrals was commissioned to examine the funding and sustainability of listed Church of England churches. The Review considered that a more strategic approach was needed to ensure than the previous large investments of public money were protected by timely maintenance and repair of these buildings. Consequently, the DCMS-funded Taylor Review Pilot was commissioned to test some recommendations made in the Review, pairing advice and support from building conservation and community development experts with targeted grant funding for maintenance and minor repairs. The evaluation, which was published in October 2020, demonstrated the impact of this project on historic places of worship in the pilot areas, with just over £1m of grant funding for repairs allocated almost equally between both areas to 136 applicants.The Government has set out its vision and strategy to protect the historic environment, including England’s places of worship, in the 2017 Heritage Statement. Any further financial support is subject to the Spending Review, which is due to conclude later this month.